What is sports medicine?

Sports medicine is a branch of orthopedics that deals with injuries that affect athletes at high rates. Playing sports is great for the mind and body and generally helps you stay in shape. However, athletic activities require many rapid movements and repeated movements that place stress on parts of the musculoskeletal system. 

In any sport, you can get certain injuries very suddenly, often due to impact or sudden motions. You can also develop injuries as an athlete that appear slowly and get worse with time because you use the same motions over and over again. A rotator cuff tear is an example of an injury that can happen due to repeated movements of the shoulder, like throwing a baseball. 

Which injuries commonly happen in sports?

There’s no shortage of injuries that happen to athletes, and these injuries can affect non-athletic individuals too. However, sports medicine takes an approach to care with the goal of getting you back to your typical activity level so you can continue enjoying your favorite sports and activities. 

Dearborn and Livonia Orthopedics & Sports Medicine specializes in managing many of the most common athletic injuries, including:

• Ankle sprains
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears
• Meniscus tears
• Patellar fractures
• Rotator cuff tears
• Achilles tendon injuries
• Peroneal tendinitis
• Plantar fasciitis
• Stress fractures of the feet and ankles
• Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)
• Medial epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow)
• Medial apophysitis (Little League elbow)

There are plenty of other injuries that can affect your tendons, muscles, ligaments, bones, and joints. While not all sports injuries are preventable, you can minimize your chances of experiencing an injury by following the proper protocol for warming up and cooling down before and after workouts. You should also use any required protective equipment in your sport. 

What does sports medicine involve?

Sports medicine at Dearborn and Livonia Orthopedics & Sports Medicine involves individualized care plans tailored to the needs of each athletic patient. After an extensive evaluation of your injury involving a physical exam and imaging tests, your provider can develop a plan for treating and rehabilitating the injured body part. 

Most sports medicine care plans begin with conservative care and may include surgery if the issue is severe or unresponsive to other treatments. Your treatment plan might involve:

• Resting the injury
• Physical therapy
• Strengthening exercises
• Steroid injections
• Orthotics
• Anti-inflammatory medication
• Immobilization cast or brace
• Sling

If your provider determines you need surgery for a sports injury, they may use minimally invasive techniques like arthroscopy to make repairs. Minimally invasive surgeries involve less recovery time, less scarring, and minimal postoperative pain. 

Sports medicine at Dearborn and Livonia Orthopedics & Sports Medicine also includes providing second opinions for the treatment of an injury or condition. 

To schedule an appointment for exceptional sports medicine care, call Dearborn and Livonia Orthopedics & Sports Medicine or book online today.